Josh Malihabadi (Urdu: جوش ملیح آبادی) (born as Shabbir Hasan Khan; شبیر حسن خان) (5 December 1898 – 22 February 1982) popularly known as Shayar-e-Inqalab (poet of revolution) was an Pakistani poet. He wrote over 100,000 couplets and more than 1,000 rubaiyat in his lifetime. The first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru held him in high esteem and frequented the mushaira at Lala Kishan Lal Kalra’s United Coffee House where Josh performed.
He was an Indian citizen until 1956, when he emigrated to Pakistan and became a Pakistani citizen. Some of his works were translated to English like The Unity of Mankind elegies by Josh Malihabadi by Syed Akbar Pasha Tirmizi who was a Pakistani citizen and a high court advocate.
Works
These include:
Aawaz-e-Haq (1921)
Shola-o-Shabnam
Junoon-o-Hikmat
Fikr-o-Nishaat (1937) and (1969)
Sunbal-o-Salaasal
Harf-o-Hikaayat
Sarod-o-Kharosh
Rooh-e-Adab
Aayat-o-Naghmaat (1941)
Arsh-o-Farsh (1944) and (1973)
Saif-o-Subu
Sumoom-o-Saba
Tulu-e-fikr
Qatra-o-Qulzum
Nujoom-o-Jawahar
Mauja-e-Fikr
Auraaq-e-Sahar
Ilhaam-o-Maqalaat-e-zarreen
Nawaredaat-e-Josh
Irfaniyat-e-Josh
Yaadon Ki Baraat (autobiography)
Honours and awards
Padma Bhushan Award, India's third highest civilian honour in 1954.
The Title of "The Poet of the Century" was given by the "QAFLA-PERA'O" Lahore, announced by the QAFLA_SALAR Syed Fakhruddin Balley, Jawaid Ahmad Qureshi, Wazir Agha, Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi and Ashfaq Ahmad, in 1992.[citation needed]
Kamal-e-Sukhan Award was announced for Hazrat Josh Mallihabadi by The Old Boys Association EMERSON College, Multan in 1999.
Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) Pakistan’s second highest civilian honor on 23 March 2013.
Ali Sardar Jafri captured Josh's biography in a serial named Kahkashan aired on DD National